Chejudo: Wird Südkoreas Regierung nervös?

Serious human rights violations in the field need attention

An activist was arrested, one village visitor was wounded and one activist fell down and carried to the hospital.

Following the police brutality of trampling down the consecrated Eucharist on Aug. 8, the police disturbed the Catholic and Protestant mass on Aug. 9. Both masses are being held daily at 11am and 3pm respectively.

Peace keepers say that the police from Seoul and Gwangju were very violent since Aug. 8. Many people including young activists were injured small and big. Following the arrest of two people on Aug. 8, of which a woman was released on the same night, a teenager boy was not released yet. He is told to climb up to the police car while he could not stand the police violence any more.

On August 9. One more young male peace keeper at his mid twenties was arrested under the charge of obstruction on government affairs. A visitor to the village was seriously wounded in his leg, suffering fracture in his bone. Another young male activist with no right arm fell down and carried to the hospital. The priests, reverends and peacekeepers were simply non-violently protesting the destruction of the consecrated Eucharists on Aug. 8.

An activist tells that such destruction on the consecrated Eucharist only happens in the war time.

'The consecrated Eucharist are the Gangjeong villagers [..] They are the symbol and real at the same time [..]"

The navy also disturbes the mass by constant warning broadcasting during the mass.

People are upset that the cardinal, Fr. Jung Jin-Seok in the Myeongdong church in Seoul has not expressed his position on the police destruction of consecrated Eucharist yet. People are writing appeal to him.

Many people including young activists are in great physical and mental danger as their daily struggles are more violently oppressed. On Aug. 9, a male policeman (or thug?) even taking off his shirt, threatened the people. It reminds the people of recently increasing horrible violence to the workers in strikes by the companies who actively employ the thugs who are called as 'security.'

Lee Yong, one activist who was seriously wounded in his leg on June 14 is now suffering for additional pain in his spine and hip. The doctor says he has gotten the spine of rapid curvature. On the day, the police blocking him from people's sight, hit his belly more than 20 times to his vomit and severely pulled down his leg while he was clutching his hand to the truck that he tried to stop it. His pain is now going worse and worse. Given that he is only at his 30s, it is so upsetting.

Considering many activists are young, the damage to their mentality is hardly ignorable as well. Many were exhausted and crying on both days, people say.

The police and thug violence in the fields are much shocking than we hear from any news. There are many unknown shocking details regarding the government human rights violation to the people in the village.

It seems that the government, anxious to hurry construction (destruction) before stormy season in September, knowing that they are losing ground with growing people's support to the struggle, more violently enforces destruction.

We urgently appeal internationals that can stop or at least mitigate such violation on human rights by spreading the news on the desperate struggle in the field and by joining an international solidarity week, from Sept. 2 to 9. Please see http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/I51g/440.